Sweet Smell of Success

"Beware these “Gentlemen” of the press!"

1957 1h 37m EN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 607

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

New York City newspaper writer J.J. Hunsecker holds considerable sway over public opinion with his Broadway column, but one thing that he can't control is his younger sister, Susan, who is in a relationship with aspiring jazz guitarist Steve Dallas. Hunsecker strongly disapproves of the romance and recruits publicist Sidney Falco to find a way to split the couple, no matter how ruthless the method.

“Beware these “Gentlemen” of the press!”

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Cast

Burt Lancaster
J.J. Hunsecker
Tony Curtis
Sidney Falco
Susan Harrison
Susan Hunsecker
Martin Milner
Steve Dallas
Jeff Donnell
Sally
Sam Levene
Frank D' Angelo
Joe Frisco
Herbie Temple
Barbara Nichols
Rita

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Alexander Mackendrick
Writers: Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $3.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

69 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick, shot by James Wong Howe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Elmer Bernstein. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Alan Crosland, Jr. shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis and Susan Harrison carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Beware these “Gentlemen” of the press!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alexander Mackendrick directs. James Wong Howe behind the camera. Elmer Bernstein scores. Alan Crosland, Jr. cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $3.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
369 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
4Directed by Alexander Mackendrick, shot by James Wong Howe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Elmer Bernstein. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Alan Crosland, Jr. shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis and Susan Harrison carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Beware these “Gentlemen” of the press!".
9IMDB entry: tt0051036 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 8 themes, including "media tycoon", "new york city", "newspaper", "sibling relationship".

The technical file

Cinematography: James Wong Howe
Original score: Elmer Bernstein
Editing: Alan Crosland, Jr.
Costume design: Mary Grant
Makeup / hair: Robert J. Schiffer
Runtime: 97 min · 1h 37m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $3,400,000
Box office: $2,500,000
Return: 74% of budget
Original language: EN
IMDB: Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

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Alexander Mackendrick

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What people are saying

Nutshell2020-05-25
A better title might be The Sad Stench of Desperation. Was Burt Lancaster ever better than in this riveting late-fifties noir from director Alexander Mackendrick? That's a tough question. But it's a no-brainer that Tony Curtis' performance here is top-level craft at its best (as in The Boston Stangler). The supporting cast also turns in some beautiful work, notably Susan Harrison and Martin Milner. This uncomfortable story breaks many rules and comes out the better for it. The jazzy score is perfect, setting the film's nervous tone and fitting the period like a glove. A totally unique and daring film-noir for the period, and one of my all time favorites.

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